Policing is a dangerous job, often requiring split-second decisions that others will scrutinize for a lifetime. Louisville Metro Police officers understand that, and we work hard to be transparent so the public can understand the actions we must take in certain cases.

That’s why we provide preliminary information within hours of a critical incident, quickly releasing body camera footage when available and sharing details once investigations are complete.

Some of the most difficult cases we deal with involve those in our community who are struggling with mental illness, addiction and, in some situations, people who are dealing with both. That’s why all of our officers receive crisis intervention training, known as CIT. Louisville has been recognized as a national leader in preparing officers to handle those they encounter who may be struggling.

Last year, we handled 2,274 CIT situations. Out of those, almost 96 percent were resolved with no use of force by our officers, and I credit their CIT training for that.

Yet LMPD is committed to continuing to identify best practices and updating our officers’ training. That’s why our officers have, in recent years, received instruction on de-escalation as part of their annual training.

And over the past several months, LMPD has been working toward implementing the Police Executive Research Forum’s “Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics” model into our training. This model, known as ICAT, reinforces and blends LMPD’s previous training on crisis intervention, de-escalation, use-of-force, and procedural justice.

It also adds another layer of tools for officers on the streets who deal with people who may be in crisis and showing erratic or dangerous behavior.

While this training does not apply to people threatening officers with firearms, it offers additional tactics for officers to use in volatile situations. We will incorporate these new materials into our training protocol and begin implementation by year’s end.

Beyond our training and policies, I want to stress that this department undertakes a rigorous review of every use-of-force incident. Each of those cases goes through a multi-layered internal review, including, in some cases, reviews by the Commonwealth Attorney, the Citizens Commission on Police Accountability and the courts.

In closing, let me assure you that the men and women of this department work diligently every day to make our community a safer place, and we do that through a lens that strives to protect the sanctity of life.

Steve Conrad is the Chief of Police for the Louisville Metro Police Department.